Liverpool won’t be signing Alex Teixeira this January, that much is becoming increasingly certain.
Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin announced yesterday that our bid for the 26-year-old’s services was way below anything they’d consider accepting.
Most reports, including this one by BBC Sport, suggested we offered £24.5m, but our bid was actually structured a little differently according to the Shakhtar honcho.
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“Liverpool stopped after an offer of £24m and a £3m bonus,” Palkin told Ukrainian TV channel Football, as reported by Sky Sports.
“We obviously refused to accept it. This is the last number that was announced. Our position is that we do not want to sell Teixeira today.
“We will sell him only at the end of the season. We need to have some good results in the Europa League and the Ukraine championship.
“At the end of the season, we will sit down at the negotiating table. Teixeira has a compensation charge in his contract – the price is £53m.
“Please, if someone wants him – let them come and declare themselves.”
Our initial £24m offer was probably low for an attacking midfielder who’s scored 22 goals in 15 Ukrainian league games this season, but their £53m valuation is ridiculous.
Teixeira has never tested his mettle in a top European league and is uncapped by the Brazilian national side. He’s talented, but that kind of money can buy Mario Gotze or Marco Reus in the summer.
The Brazilian would have made an exciting January addition, but the club cannot be held to ransom, and although fans will be disappointed, we can understand the club’s decision that £53m is just too much of a gamble.